With over 20 years of experience covering the Steelers for the Observer-Reporter, Dale Lolley will let you know the insider scoop. Dale can also be heard on the Steelers radio network pre-game show on WDVE-FM game days and Tuesday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. on ESPN 970-AM during the season as a host of the Antonio Brown Show. Follow him on Twitter at dlolleyor.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Colbert speaks

Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert doesn't speak publicly often, so when he does, it's usually newsworthy - even though Colbert is often very guarded with what he says.

Today was no different.

Colbert addressed the media today in Indianapolis at the combine and did his usual dance of saying a lot while really not tipping his hand too much. It's truly an art form.

What he did say, however, was that he and head coach Mike Tomlin have their finger on the pulse of the team's locker room and he really doesn't see a fracture there as some players have suggested after linebacker LaMarr Woodley was ripped by an anonymous player earlier this week in a story in the Post-Gazette.

Was their some "me first" stuff in the locker room this year? Certainly.

But really, that wasn't any different than any other year. People have been quick to rip Mike Wallace for that perceived attitude forget that Hines Ward once held out as well.

And Ward was also a player who got upset when he didn't get the ball as much as he thought he should - though he handled it a different way, making veiled comments in the media.

Who could forget all of the Roethlisberger and Ward don't like each other stuff? True or not, they coexisted because both men knew they needed the other.

* Colbert also said that the Steelers haven't opened any negotiations with players on contract restructures or extensions, but will do so once they return from Indianapolis.

The Steelers are about $14 million over the 2013 cap and must be under it by March 12.

Picking up that $14 million won't be as difficult as some have said.

The Steelers can extend some key veterans - Ben Roethlisberger, Heath Miller and even Ryan Clark - and restructure some others such as Antonio Brown, Woodley and Lawrence Timmons to clear space.

Colbert did mention Woodley by name - especially after he was ripped anonymously earlier this week by a teammate - as a player the Steelers would have no problem restructuring or extending. They feel Woodley will bounce back after an injury-plagued last season and a half.

There is some evidence to back that up. Woodley was a beast in training camp last season, so much so that head coach Mike Tomlin was using him as the measuring stick for the tight ends on backers vs. tight ends drills.

Woodley manhandled all of the team's tight ends.

But with James Harrison out early, opponents were able to focus their blocking schemes on Woodley. And by the time Harrison returned, Woodley was dealing with ankle and hamstring issues.

Joe...I agree, but I think we need some perspective on the season. It is sometimes hard to look at things objectively.

First, DL is right, we did beat the Ravens once and could have beaten them twice...without Ben both times. One bad special teams play is what we were away from beating them twice with backup QBs.

Second, despite this team not really playing up to expectations, we really could have had a completely different season. This is a team which lost 5 games by 3 points. 4 of those came on game ending FGs by the opponent. That means those games literally came down to 2 or 3 plays that weren't executed correctly, including the 5th game. It is weird to think that this team, had they executed a play here or there that they didn't, could have been 13-3? Take away the fumblerooskie game and they had a shot at 14-2.

Now they didn't finish there, but to say this team is full of holes is probably not very accurate. The D is not nearly as old as everyone would have you to believe. The offense is so young that it is hard to really figure out where all the issues are, but it will need some new talent now with Wallace and Mendy going elsewhere. We got the largest contribution as rookies from a 7th round pick and an undrafted free agent.

Spence seemed optimistic late in the season. Colbert a little less so yesterday. But the team has to be that way until they see him on the field.They can't go into 2013 counting on him, which is why Foote will be re-signed.

TarheelFlyer, The defense is actually is as old as everyone claims it to be. At the start of the 2012 season the average starter was 2 years older than that of any other team. It looks like it will only be an older defense this year. Now with that said, there's no problem with an older defense if they're playing as good as ours did this past season.

Yeah it's applied towards the cap. Little diff between that and a ftag, cept zero comp if another team makes him an offer. I know most fans think it worked swimmingly with Starks, but jn reality it's a complete waste of time and resources with a player of any value.

so if they apply a transition tag to Keenan Lewis, the Steelers cap number goes up by whatever the tag is worth, even if they don't end up signing him for that amount?

So say for example, they transition tag him, he gets an offer from another team and the Steelers don't match, then the cap number is increased by that amount until the deal with the other team is done?

And the Steelers need to be in cap compliance by the start of the league year?